A balmy, persistent breeze in Manhattan blurred the July evening into an autumnal memory. By now, I was a Chinatown bus regular, familiar with the various lines, their pros and cons, even their drivers. Snippets from different (mis)adventures melted into a slightly off-putting fondue.

What's left unsaid is that unparalleled sources of casino revenue come, in particular, from New York's Chinatowns. Industry strategists firmly believe Asian gamblers have a higher propensity for wagering large sums of money.